The idea of a road trip with toddlers and babies might feel overwhelming but it can be totally manageable! In this post I'm sharing our 10 Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers.
In the words of my toddler before we literally go anywhere "Let's Rock and Roll!"
As a parent I've traveled quite a bit with our toddler. We live in Central New York and quite a few close family members and friends live 2-6 hours away. So we've been road trippin' with E since he was around 2 months old. We've flown across the country twice and enough road trips for me to lose count. As I write this I'm realizing he's traveled more in his 3.5 years of life than I did for the first 18 years of mine...but I digress...
Before becoming a parent I worked as a nanny. During those 12 years I traveled with familes, helped families pack and prepare for trips and spent countless hours in cars shuffling kids around. All this to say- being squashed into a car for several hours with small children is my jam. I picked up a lot of Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers along the way.
Road tripping with a small child isn't easy persay. There's a lot of variables that are out of your control; looking at you Mass Pike. But it can be manageable. And! Dare I say enjoyable...at times. We've had our downs on road trips but I must admit overall our trips have been fine. That last one, a 12 hour round trip over the course of a weekend, was acutally really great.
I attribute all of this to 4 things:
1) My husband spent the majority of his 20s traveling the country in a punk rock band. Which means he earned the title of "professional road tripper" His go with flow keeps my anxiety in check.
2) We keep our expectations low, low, low, low. (name that tune)
3) We plan and pack really well as a team. (refer to #1)
4) The big one: our child's overall demeanor. He's a relatively flexible kid who adapts pretty well to new situations. He is my complete opposite. Some kids/adults are not this way (raises hand) and that's okay. Know your kid, plan and pivot accordingly.
Here's our 10 Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers: (some links below are affiliate links)
1) Try to leave during your baby or toddlers best time of the day.
I say try because we don't always have that flexibility. Every baby or toddler has a time of day where they're more affable. Typically in the morning.
When E was a baby we would leave around one of his nap times; depending on the length of the drive. As a young toddler it was easier to leave around bedtime and then transfer him to a crib. At 3 years old the earlier we can leave the better.
2) Take traffic into consideration when picking a time to leave.
Yes, I did just tell you to try leaving during your child's peak good mood time of day. Now I'm telling you take traffic into consideration. It all depends on what day of the week and time you're planning to travel. If you can leave before the estimated worst travel times than that, in my book, trumps leaving during nap.
Sometimes traffic is unavoidable; looking at you Mass Turn Pike. It just is what it is. But if you have the flexibility to leave during lower traffic times or days then do it! Sitting in stand still traffic with wailing children is one of Dante's levels of hell.
3) Pack all the snacks. Then pack some more.
Road trip food is fun and delicious! E has enjoyed a road trip Happy Meal. But food on the road is also insanely expensive. And sometimes it's hard to find places to stop. Packing snacks saves money and stress of finding food your toddler will eat. Especially if you have a family member with food insensitives, allergies, or prone to travel constipation.
Plus you can pack a variety of fun and nutrient dense foods that will fill your toddlers belly. We typically pack lunches then look for places to stop for a picnic. This gives everyone a chance to stretch their bodies and use the bathroom.
Pssssttt... pack snacks for yourself, too. You do not need to share these snacks.
4) Plan stops.
Figure out a few general stops along your route. There's nothing worse than traveling on an unfamiliar route, knowing everyone desperately needs a pit stop but having no idea when or where to stop.
The AAP recommends stopping every 2 hours for children in carseats. Yes, that slows your overall drive time.... which brings us to 5.
5) Shift your expectations.
Road trips pre-children are a different vibe. Listening to your music. Worrying only about your needs. Stopping just long enough to use the bathroom, grab an iced coffee and then jump back in the car. You arrive at your destination in record time.
Road trips with kids is a different beast. Not necessarily worse. Just different. There will be crying, either from you or them, at some point. You're gonna need to make frequent stops. The trip will take longer than whatever Google Maps says. There's a lot you can't control during a road trip with children. Do your best to let those things go and roll with the punches.
6) Pack extra clothes, diapers, underwear in an easy to reach wet bag.
When that blow out occurs or you toddler dumps apple juice down their front- you don't want to dig through suitcases buried in the trunk to find another outfit. Stick an extra outfit for each kid, maybe an extra shirt for yourself, into a reusable wet bag.
Now for the in car entertainment tips:
7) Create a playlist.
There are tons of engaging podcasts for children. Some of our favorites include Story Pirates, Circle Round and Sesame Street Storytime.
Renting audio books from the local library or use one of these free sites.
We also love listening to our Raffi playlist (there's something magical about that man's voice) and Okee Dokee (thank you to my brother and sister in law for this recommendation).
Sure, kids music and podcasts can get a little grating on adult ears but I'll take Banana Phone on repeat over my kid repeatedly asking why we aren't there yet.
8) Pack their backpacks with some small toys and books.
We have a stash of small toys and games that are specifically for restuarants and roadtrips. They're a mix of dollar tree cars, Water Wow travel pads, LCD writing tablet and Scavenger Hunt cards. For babies and small toddlers we love Indestructible books!
Get your toddler involved in the packing. They'll enjoy being part of the process and feel more excited about the toys if they got to pick some out.
Use a small backpack or bag for packing toys: this limits the amount of the toys they can bring and keeps everyone's toys organized.
Include a stuffy for possible car naps.
9) Embrace the boredom.
We all get bored in long car rides. It happens. As parents we don't need to provide constant in car entertainment. Allowing them to sit in boredom increases their tolerance for not so fun experiences; like long ass road tips. There are other benefits to boredom- helps them develop their problem solving skills and creativity.
There will be moments when your child cannot manage their boredom. You know your child best. Encourage when you can. Entertain when necessary.
10) Keep them in the loop.
Talk with them about the trip! What to expect, where you're going, what will happen along the way. Keep them involved as you drive; "we're planning to stop at the next rest stop to eat, use the bathroom and run around." Children function better when they know what to expect. They'll also appreciate being part of the conversation.
BONUS: Buy the travel potty.
You've got this! Safe travels everyone!!
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